Apparatus for cleaning the smoke-tubes of steam-boilers



C. P. PARRY.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SMOKE TUBES 0F STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FlLED AUG-29.1916.

1,370,353. Patented Mar. 1,1921.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SMOKE TUBES OF STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SMOKE TUBES 0F STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29. I916.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES PERCY PARRY, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Mar. 1, 1921 Application filed August 29, 1916. Serial No. 117,553.

, specification.

This invention relates to apparatus forcleaning the smoke tubes of steam boilers, of that type in which the tubes are cleaned by means of a jet of steam, sprayed through the tubes at intervals, to sweep out any matter that may be deposited on the interior surfaces of the tubes. Such cleaners usually comprise a nozzle moving and rotating in a spiral path so as to clean out all the tubes, but this Construction necessitates the provision of costly and accurately cut differential gearings, and is wasteful in respect to the consumption of steam during the process of cleaning; and the object of my invention is to simplify the construction, and provide a cheap and eiiicient apparatus for the purpose.

My invention consists, broadly, in the pro vision of a de Laval or'the like type of nozzle for the steam (which I will term the pressure reducing nozzle), by means of which the pressure of the steam is considerably reduced during its passage from the inlet to the outlet, from which latter the steam issues at considerable velocity, and in the provision of a deflecting nozzle on the outlet, through which the jet of steam issues and sweeps out the tubes.

The area of the plate over which the tubes to be cleaned by a single jet are spaced,'is usually considerable, and if the jet were ex panded to deal with the whole of the area simultaneously the force of the jet would be dissipated; the arrangement of the jet, or jets where more than one is fitted to the same pipe, is therefore, such as to concentrate the effect on a section which is a fractional part of the area of tube plate to be dealt with, and this section is of such shape that when the nozzle is rotated through a single revolution, or in some cases through half a revolution, the whole area is dealt with in successive sections; the deflecting nozzle, and in 'the preferred arrangement the pressure reducing nozzle, are so constructed that they can be housed in, be rotated in, and be withdrawn from the boiler through one of the tubes of the boiler; my invention is therefore particularly applicable to marine boilers of the double-ended type, to the combustion chamber of which it is exceedingly difiicult, for structural reasons, to fit a tube cleaner unless it can be inserted into position through one of the boiler tubes and be housed in that tube when not in use.

The preferred form of my invention is llustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1n which Figures 1 to 12 show the application to a double-ended boiler, and Figs. 13 to 16 show the application to a single-ended holler.

In the drawings, F igs. 1 and 2 show the general arrangement in the case of a doubleended boiler, Fig. 1 being a front elevation of the boiler with the smoke-box casing removed, and Fig. 2 a side elevation in section on the line II, II, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of the steam-supply ipe. F 1g. 4, shown in two portions, is an elevat1on in medial section and to an enlarged scale, of one of the units shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Figs. 5 and 6 being res ectively, transverse sections on the lines V, and VI, VI, of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a lon itudinal medlal section, to a still larger sca e, of the pressure reducing nozzle, with its piston and attachment means, Fi 8 being a transverse section on the line IIl, VIII of Fig. 7. Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are views, to the same scale as Figs. 7 and 8, of the preferred form of renewable deflecting nozzle.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show the general arrangement in the case of a single-ended boiler, Fig. l3 being a rear elevation, Fig. 14 a corresponding part plan, and Fig. 15 a part side elevation in section on the line XV, XV of Fig. 13. Fig. 16 is an elevation, in medial section, of one of the units shown in Figs. 13, 14 and. 15.

Figs. 17, 18, 19 and 20, and Figs. 21, 22 and 23, show, respectively, two modified forms of deflecting nozzles.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 1 to 12 A is the boiler, a the tubes to be cleaned, a the tubesirrwhich the respective nozzles are fitted, a the furnaces, a the combustion chamber, a? the end tube plates, a the tube plates of the" combustion chamber. a the smoke box door and a the the smoke box.

In the arrangement illustrated there are two sets of three jets fitted, one set, J f, at, say, the forward end of the boiler, is used to clean the after tubes, and one set, Jo, at

shield plates of the after end to clean the forward tubes. In Fig. 4 one unit of the forward set is shown. Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, B is a chamber located in the smoke box to the inlet 6 of which steam for the jet is led by any convenient arrangement of piping b. The chamber or casing, which in effect forms a valve casing, makes joint at the outlet flange b with the tube plate a, the joint being. made by the studs and packing ringas shown (see Fig. 6), the position of the casing being such that the bore is concentric with one of the tubes (1, the tubes selected for a particular casing being the one which is approximately at the center of the bank of tubes at to be cleaned by the 'et supplied with steam from that casing. he tube a selected is, at the combustion chamber end, fitted with a liner a in which is located the pressure reducing nozzle D and the deflecting nozzle E, the former (see Fig. 7) forming the bore of the piston (J, and the nozzle E (see Figs. 4, 11 and 12) being adapted to be detachably secured to the piston which is a working fit in the cylindrical bore of the liner and is circumferentially grooved, as at 0 and provided with piston rings, to prevent undue steam leakage past-the piston. The piston has a perforated stem 0 terminating in a screwed socket 0 into which a spigot on the end of the hollow rod G fits.

Steam is supplied to the casing B through the inlet b which is connected to the branch 8 of the steam pipe S which is connected to the boilers through the controlvalve s and pipes s and s steam entering the casing B passes down the tube a through the perforated stem 0 of the piston (see Fig. 8) to the nozzles D and E.

In order to balance the pressure on the piston C, the latter is connected by the rod G to the piston F which is a working fit in the cylindrical extension 19 of the casing B; the rod G is connected to the piston rod H the tail k of which is screwed and takes the screwed end of a locking sleeve K which passes out of the smoke box through the smoke box .door a and shields 0. the

end if of the rod H is made square and fits the square socket end 0 of the rod 0 carrying the operating handlev O. The extent to which the nozzle E extends into the combustion chamber when the apparatus is at work is determined by the position of the locking sleeve on the screwed tail 11. and the withdrawal of the nozzles into the tube a, to house them and to shieldthem from the action of the hot gases when the jets are not in use, is effected by axial movement of the hand-wheel 70 attached to the locking sleeve; the nozzles can be rotated by means of the operating handle 0; thus axial and rotary movement can be'c'onveniently imparted to the nozzles by gear conveniently located outside the boiler. r

It is desirable, when the nozzles D and E are withdrawn into the tube a, that the supply of steam should then be cut off independently of the control valves 8 on the steam supply pipes, and to effect this a valve V is fitted on the spindle H, which valve fits a valve seating b fitted in the casing B and provided with perforations 72 (see Figs. 4 and 5), through which steam passes to the interior of the seating from the inlet 6 the valve Vis guided by the facings b and when the nozzles are withdrawn it closes the seating and cuts off the steam 9 to 12, ofwhic Fig. 9 is a side elevation,-

Fig. 10 a front elevation, and Figs. 11 and .12 sections on the lines XI, XI and XII.

XII, respectively of Fig. 10. The screwed spigot e fits the screwed socket c of the piston C so that when the nozzle E is in position in the piston its bore at the inlet end.

e is co-axial with the tapered bore (l, d? of the pressure reducing nozzle D and the diameter of e is usually made equal to that of 01 which latter is suiiiciently greater in diameter than al to give by expansion the necessary pressure reduction and velocity augmentation of the steam. The interior of the nozzle E is so shaped that the bore changes from the circular configuration of the inlet e to the double triangular configuration at the outlet 6 the interior faces 6'' forming guide surfaces which determine the configuration of the issuing jet of steam; e are external flats for screwing the nozzle into position in the piston.

configuration of the issuing jet tube as shown by the shaded portions P in Fig. 1; and it will be seen that, as the nozzle E of any jet is rotated slowly through anangle of 180 about the axis of the tube a so as to rotate the jet through this angle, all the tubes at in the group to be cleaned by that jet will be dealt with eifectively and in succession, while the maximum cross-sectional area of the jet is kept small, thus reducing the dispersion and so maintaining a high density and eifective scouring actioni 180 is the minimum angle with a nozzle such as E, but usually two or three complete turns are given to insure effective chamber end ofthe tube a the pressure reducing nozzle being at the other end of the tube, or in the smoke box, or even outside the boiler, the two being connected by a pipe of area approximately equal to the outlet of the pressure reducing nozzle and the inlet of the deflecting nozzle, and the arrangement being such that the deflecting nozzle can be rotated as described. The construction described in which the two nozzles are adjacent and in which one of the boiler tubes is used to convey the steam from the casing B to the pressure reducing nozzle, is, however, generally preferred. In some cases, instead of fitting the apparatus in one of the ordinary smoke tubes a of the boiler, it may be fitted in a stay tube, or, where the apparatus is applied to new constructions, a special tube may be fitted between the tube plates for this purpose.

The pressure reducing nozzle is in each case a nozzle of the de Laval type, and is so proportioned as to permit of the necessary expansion of steam with the corresponding reduction of pressure and increase of velocity, the pipe supplying the steam to the inlet of the nozzle being amply proportioned so as to maintain the desired pressure at the nozzle inlet.

In Figs. 21, 22 and '23, of which Fig. 21 is a front elevation corresponding with Fig. 9, and Figs. 22 and 23 are respectively longitudinal sections on the lines XXII, XXII, and XXIII,,XXIII of Fig. 21, I have shown a modification E of the deflecting nozzle; the construction is similar to that described in connection with Figs. 9 to 12, with the exception that the outlet e, instead of being of double triangular configuration, is of rectangular configuration; the inlet e is equal in diameter to and coincides with the outlet of thepressure reducing nozzle, and the interior is shaped so that the bore changes from the circular form at e to rectangular form at e", the faces e forming guide surfaces to determine the configuration of the jet; this arrangement, though simpler in construction, does not give so effective a jet as is given by the nozzle E, the tendency being for the jet to unduly disperse laterally at the central portions.

A further modification E" of the deflect- .ing nozzle is shown in Figs. 17 to 20, of

which Fig. 17 is a front elevation, Fig. 19 a rear; elevation, Fig. 20 a plan, and Fi 18 a transverse section on the lines K II, XVIII of Fig. 17. In this case the jet is not dispersed symmetrically about the axis of the nozzle, and the dispersion is effected by guide vanes e which are arranged transversely across the bore which changes from circular configuration at the nozzle end 6 to the configuration shown in Fig. 17 at the outlet e ally cast in place, and as the dispersion takes an operating handle The vanes e are usu-' place in this case on one side only of the center line of the nozzle, it is necessary, in order to command all the tubes a of the group to be dealt with by this jet, to rotate the nozzle through an angle of 360.

I have shown the application of my invention to a single ended boiler in Figs. 13 to 16. In this case the piston C, instead of being fitted in one of the ordinary boiler tubes, is fitted in a tube a. which extends across from the plain end plate a of the boiler, to the back plate a of the combus tion chamber.

The casing B in this construction is carried from the end plate a and is located outside the boiler. Instead of a locking sleeve, a handle nut K is fitted to the screwed tail h of the spindle H, and instead of an operatin handle 0 and rod e is fixed on a squared end of the rod h In other respects the construction of the several parts illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15 is similar to that already described, except that an extension sleeve 12 is carried through the tube at and that the piston C is a working fit in the cylindrical bore of this extension.

In each of the modifications care must be taken to efliciently drain the steam supply range; the latter should'therefore be sup--95 plied with suitable drain cocks such as a", and care should be taken to avoid the formation of any pockets or recesses in which water can accumulate. I

The apparatus is used as follows V The steam supply, the pressure of which is usually that of the boilers in the bank, should not be taken from an auxiliary supply, but be connected directly to the boiler. Assuming that each of the nozzles is with- 105 drawn and the respective. valves V all closed,

-the drains are opened; the central valve 8 is also opened and steam blown freely through to dry and heat the pipes, after which the drainare-closed.

The nozzles for the respective jets are then operated in succession by pushing'the operating handle and locking wheel inwardly so as to move the nozzles into the positiorr shown in the dnawings, and to open-the valve V. Acomparatlvely small force, equivalent to about 30 lbs. will usually be necessary-to move the valve V ofit' its seat, but as soon as the valve opens, there is little or no resistance to further axial movement, owing to the action of the balancing piston.

The operating handle is then turned slowly throu h, say, two or three complete revolutions, ing pressed inwardly. to insure the maintenance of the deflecting nozzle in properaxial position, after which the locking wheel is grasped and pulled back, so closing the valve V and withdrawing the nozzles into the tube a or b in which they are housed clear of the hot gases passing through the combustion chamber.

The several nozzles are similarly operated in succession, the respective locking wheels bein screwed u after each has been-used.

In t e case of t e double ended boiler, of

course both the forward and after'sets of nozzles are operated to clean the after and forward sets of tubes respectivel The apparatus should be use when the fires are bright, and the furnace doors shut. The air valves on furnace fronts and ashpits should be open, so as to prevent the production of a partial vacuum in the com-' gether with the steam, blow through the row of tubes under action, the scouring action carrying soot, ashes and other forei n When all t e matter into the smoke box. tubes have been cleaned, the soot and ashes are removed from the smoke box through suitable openings closed by doors.

In some cases it may be found desirable to augment the supply of air or hot gases driven through the tubes with the steam, and in such cases the arrangement may .be modified so as to give a partial vacuum at the outlet of the pressure reducing nozzle so as to provide a mixed jet of considerable volume.

The deflecting nozzles are readily detachable and ma be renewed at small cost.

The location of the pressure reducing nozzle, the mode by which it is connected to the deflecting nozzle, the mode by which the latter is rotated, together with the details of construction, may be modified within the limits of my invention to suit circumstances.

the outlet end of theexpanding nozzle.

2. In a steam blower for cleaning boiler tubes, in combinationya pressure reducing nozzle of the de Laval or the like ex ansion type; means to, supply said noz c with steam; a deflecting nozzle the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the pressure reducing nozzle, adapted to be rotatably car ried in a tubular chamber opening into the combustion chamber and having guide surfaces shaped to provide a steam jet extending across the .combustion chamber to the boiler tube plate on the oppositeside, and the cross-section. of which at the opposite tube plate is comparatively narrow but in,

in a sleeve within the tube at the combustion I .end thereof and in fluid tight engagement with said'sleeve; and means for supplying steam to the other end of the boiler tube; substantially as described.

4. In a steam blower for cleaning boiler tubes, in combination; pressure reducing and deflecting nozzles formed in a piston adapted tov be located at one end of a boiler tube; a steam casing adapted to be con nected to the other end of the boiler tube; acontrol valve and a balancing piston inside the casing, the spindle of which valve and piston is connected to the nozzlepiston; and

operating means external to the boiler to impart rotary and axial movement to the,

nozzles; substantially as described.

5. In a steam blower for cleaning boiler tubes, in combination; pressure reducing and deflecting nozzles, the guide surfaces in the deflecting nozzle being of double triangular" configuration to produce a jet the transverse section of which at the tube plate end is wide at the peri heries and narrow at the center;

substantial y as described. 6. In apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes,

in combination; a liner adapted to be applied in the combustion chamber end of the boiler tube; res sure reducing and deflecting nozzles a apted to fit fluid-tightly in the said liner and being axially and rotatably movable therein a casing adapted to be located in the smoke box the interior of which casing is adapted to be connected to the steam supply; a balancing piston located in said chamber and acontrol valve located in said chamber; the nozzle piston, the bal-' ancing piston and the control valve being connected together by means passing through said boiler tube and being connected to o crating means external to the boiler; said means comprising a hand wheel and sleeve whereby axial movement can be im arted to the valve and pistons and a rod wiiereby rotary movement can be im arted to said valve and pistons; substantial y as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in resence of two witnesses.

C ARLES PERCY PARRY. Witnesses:

JESSIE DIXON, Josarn E. Hms'r. 

